Ledbetter College of Business

Master of Accountancy Program Ranked Among Nation’s Best

Date November 7, 2018

Rome, Ga. – Shorter University’s Master of Accountancy Program has been ranked among the Top 50 programs in the nation. OnlineMasters.com included Shorter on its list of the Top 50 Master’s in Accounting Programs for 2019.

“We are delighted to see our Master of Accountancy program recognized as one of the nation’s best,” said Shorter University President Dr. Don Dowless. “The students in this program receive excellent training at an affordable cost; they also benefit from studying with faculty who are committed to Shorter’s mission of Transforming Lives through Christ.”

Shorter was included on the list along with much-larger institutions such as Auburn University, George Mason University, the University of Alabama, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the University of Miami.

“The Master of Accountancy program has distinguished itself as one of the elite programs in the country,” said Dr. Heath Hooper, Dean of Shorter’s Ledbetter College of Business. “We are continually working to make improvements to the curriculum and offerings. Dr. (Robert) Darville has been and continues to be an innovator in the field of accounting. I look forward to continued recognitions for the MAcc Program along with other academic degrees within the College of Business.”

OnlineMasters.com’s research identifies the nation’s top 50 programs in the areas of curriculum quality, program flexibility, affordability, and graduate outcomes. In addition to insights gained from accounting professionals, OnlineMasters.com analyzed data drawn from interviews and surveys from current students and alumni. Each online degree program was reviewed with only 50 making it to the final 2019 list.

Dr. Robert “Dub” Darville, who serves as Chair of Shorter’s Department of Business Administration, Professor of Accounting, and the Sewell Chair of Business Ethics, explained that the Shorter’s Master of Accountancy is designed to help prepare accountants for certification as Certified Public Accountants.

“In addition to passing the CPA exam, individuals must also have 150 hours to obtain the CPA certification,” he said. “Creating a program that was manageable, affordable, and of high academic quality was no easy task. I am extremely pleased for our program to be recognized in the top 50 in the United States and to be recognized for having achieved those three benchmarks. In addition, to have Shorter’s program recognized in the same group as major Tier 1 research institutions such as Auburn, George Mason, UNC at Chapel Hill, Alabama, and others attests to the academic rigor of our program. I am especially grateful to Dr. Melissa Hickman, a former student of mine and colleague at Shorter, who was instrumental in helping develop this program.”

The ranking was compiled to serve students entering the fast-growing field of accounting, according to OnlineMasters.com’s Program Recognition Manager Barbara Montgomery. “Our research shows that job opportunities for accounting professionals will increase by 10 percent in the next eight years,” she said. “By the end of 2018, 43 percent of the US companies will hire a Masters of Accounting graduate, according to the Graduate Management Admission Council. This exemplifies not only the value of this degree, but the overall demand in the job market. This is just one of the many reasons we researched, analyzed, and ranked the Top 50 Master’s in Accounting Degree Programs.”

The complete ranking is online at www.onlinemasters.com/best-degree-programs/accounting/

Founded in 1873, Shorter University is a Christ-centered, four-year liberal arts university committed to excellence in education. U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review annually include Shorter on their lists of best Southeastern Colleges. The university offers traditional bachelor’s degrees in 40 areas of study, online courses and degree programs, undergraduate programs for working adults, associate’s and master’s programs.

NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT

Shorter University admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the University. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, physical handicap, or sex in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, employment policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other University-administered programs.

ABOUT SHORTER

Founded in 1873, Shorter University is a Christ-centered, four-year liberal arts university committed to excellence in education. U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review annually include Shorter on their lists of best Southeastern Colleges. The university offers traditional bachelor’s degrees in 40 areas of study, as well as online associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs.